Stitch in time, how men were Scotland’s f irst knitters

HISTORIANS have revealed that, when it was first introduced in Scotland, knitting was only ever done by men.

Although it is often stereotyped as the preserve of women, research has suggested that knitting was once considered a male-only occupation.

Fancy patterns and double yarns were no problem for men earning a living from knitting, and they jealously guarded their secrets as members of trade guilds.

New research into the origins of the hobby north of the Border suggests that knitting, first recorded in the Far East, can trace its history in Scotland back to the 15th century.

Rosie Thorp, an archives officer for Historic Environment Scotland studying the story of knitting, said the art quickly became a means of earning a living for many Scots, but it was years before women or children became heavily involved.

She said: ‘In the early days of knitting in Scotland, it was very male dominated. What we now consider a quarantine hobby was seen as a highly skilled trade, done by trained craftsmen belonging to guilds.

‘However, by the 17th and 18th centuries knitting was a flourishing trade in Scotland and a key occupation for many – women, children and men.’